Pine
by Mello McQueen
Summary: Matt has a hard time understanding Near sometimes.


**Written By:** Hikari Riku

**Summary:** Matt has a hard time understanding Near sometimes.

**Pairing(s):** Possible hints of MattxMello, and LxNear, but only if you wanna take it that way.

**Authoress Notes:** First attempt at writing for the Wammy Boys.

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**Pine**

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"Do you ever wonder where he went?" Matt asked one morning. He was sitting cross-legged on Near's bed, and staring out of the dirty window of the orphanage, towards the large metal gates that surrounded the complex. There was no answer from Near, who sat on the floor across the room putting together what appeared to be an entirely blank puzzle.

"Do you?" Matt asked again, pushing his goggles up onto his forehead, and turning to look at the white haired boy. "I mean, it's been almost a year now since Mel-"

"No." Near said at that moment. "I don't." Matt waited for an explanation to follow this, in Matt's opinion, attempt to keep him from saying the blonde boy's name, but a moment later it became apparent that Near was done speaking for the day, as he simply put another piece into place.

It took so little effort on Near's part, that Matt had to wonder how many times Near had solved this particular puzzle. Though Near had only begun a little over thirty minutes ago, Matt could already see the L forming in the top left corner.

After a moment, he tried again. "You don't care? Not even a little bit?" Near said nothing and he felt agitation rise up in him. "You're not even the tiniest bit worried Near?" The white haired boy shook his head without comment, and snapped another piece into place.

Matt growled angrily then, and jumping off the bed, picked the puzzle up off the floor and threw it across the room where it hit the wall and shattered into chunks and pieces. He looked at his work in satisfaction and turned back around to face Near.

The boy was still staring down at the floor, the last few pieces of the puzzle held in his hands. Calmly, he turned his head to face Matt, and his light grey eyes looked up at him with something akin to what Matt thought might be sorrow. _Sorrow for his stupid puzzle!_

"You're a heartless jerk! Don't you care about anyone? H, He could be dead for all you know!" he snarled and turning on his heel, stomped towards the door. Near stopped him before he could make it out.

"My caring isn't going to bring him back Matt, and neither will yours."

As Matt turned back to face Near-who wasn't even looking at him-he caught a glimpse of one of the chunks of Near's ruined puzzle, the black letter L was propped against the wall, staring at him. _Damn_, he thought to himself, and walked back over to it.

Carefully he lifted it from the floor and walked back over to the white haired boy, laying it down next to his feet. Near looked at it, and said nothing, so he walked back across the room, and retrieved the rest of the puzzle, placing it all down beside him.

The small boy didn't move or even give recognition that he was aware of what Matt was doing. He only continued to sit and stare at the L.

Not knowing what to do, Matt stood beside him. "I'm sorry." he apologized after a moment, and walking quietly back over to Near's bed, resumed his earlier activity of staring out the window. A group of boy's were out on the grounds, playing with a soccer ball.

Mello was always good at soccer, he thought, remembering how he had watched him often from behind the screen door, the game over screen flashing on the Gameboy he held, neglected, in his hands. . .

"Matt?" Near's voice broke the red head from his thoughts, and Matt jumped, turning around to look at him. Near hadn't moved from the floor and was still staring down at the piece before him.

Matt got the feeling he was remembering something, just like Matt had been because it was a moment before Near spoke again.

"I don't think he's dead." he said finally, and that was the end of that as Matt nodded unsure of whether he meant Mello. . . .

. . . .or L.

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**Owari**

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**Authoress Notes:** So, what do you think?


End file.
